Fox's Batman Prequel 'Gotham' Casts Its Young Bruce Wayne, Catwoman

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"Touch's" David Mazouz will play the Batman-to-be in the drama from "The Mentalist's" Bruno Heller, while newcomer Camren Bicondova will portray a young Selina Kyle.

Fox has found its young Bruce Wayne (and eventual Batman) and Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) for its Batman prequel, Gotham.

Touch alum DavidMazouz has been tapped to play the boy who will grow up to become th Caped Crusader, while newcomer Camren Bicondova will play Selina, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Gotham is described as an origin tale centering on DC Comics fixture Commissioner Jim Gordon and the villains that made Gotham famous. The Warner Bros. Television drama pilot, which has series commitment attached, is being written and executive produced by The Mentalist showrunner Bruno Heller.

Mazouz's young Bruce Wayne is the son of Thomas and Martha Wayne. The preteen character is sentenced to a solitary life after the tragic slayings of his wealthy parents. Young Bruce is described as serious and soulful, and relies on the guidance and protection of Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) and James Gordon (Southland's Ben McKenzie).

Newcomer Bicondova's Selina Kyle is a teenage orphan who is suspicious and wholly unpredictable. She's a street thief and skilled pickpocket who is dangerous when cornered. The role was most recently played by Anne Hathaway in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry, among others, also have played Catwoman/Selina.

Mazouz is the latest actor to step into the role of Bruce Wayne. Lewis Wilson was the first actor to star as the Caped Crusader; Adam West had the role in the '60s; Michael Keaton played the role in Tim Burton's Batman movies; ValKilmer starred in Batman Forever; George Clooney starred in 1997's Batman and Robin; Christian Bale had the lead in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy; and Ben Affleck will play the hero in the Man of Steel sequel due next year, among others.

The casting continues Mazouz's relationship with Fox, where he starred for two seasons as KieferSuthlerland's young and mute son Jake on Touch. His credits include episodes of Major Crimes, Criminal Minds, The Office, Private Practice and Mike & Molly. He is repped by Paradigm, Intellectual Artists Management and Jackoway Tyerman.

Bicondova's credits include Girlhouse and Battlefield America. She is repped by LB Talent Agency, Williams Unlimited and Stone Meyer.

Speaking to reporters in January at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly said the series will explore other characters from DC's massive Batman cannon.

"This is not one of the things where you bought a franchise and then none of the characters people know," Reilly said. "We will follow Bruce Wayne right up until the point where he gets interesting."

Reilly confirmed that Gotham will be as much of an origin story for Batman as for Gordon. "It's Gotham teetering on the edge. This is all of the classic Batman characters," he said, noting the plan was for the series to ultimately end with Bruce Wayne putting on the cape and becoming Batman -- much as Smallville did with Superman.

Following the session, Reilly told reporters that the series will be very serialized and not an "adjunct companion" show. "This is the Batman franchise just backing it up," he said. "It gives a real focus as to what this show is about and what stories we're telling."